Alberta Party Leader Stephen Mandel is eligible to run in upcoming election

Alberta Party Leader Stephen Mandel is eligible to run in the upcoming Alberta provincial election.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Gaylene Kendell ruled Mandel acted in good faith when he missed the deadline to file his campaign expense paperwork.

In a written decision filed Monday, Justice Kendell said all of the mitigating factors surrounding the case were sufficient for the appeal to be granted when considered together and weighed against the penalty Mandel faced.

Mandel had been facing a five-year ban from running in provincial elections if his appeal had not been granted.

Mandel, a former Edmonton mayor and Progressive Conservative health minister, said he felt vindicated by the court ruling.

“The judicial system worked and we’re now going to be knocking on doors and going around the province,” said Mandel.

The ban spurred from Mandel failing to file his Edmonton-McClung nomination campaign expenses within the four-month window outlined in legislation that the NDP brought into effect in 2016.

Mandel’s lawyers argued in court that the rules surrounding filing timelines were confusing. They also said Mandel’s chief financial officer knew the rules but failed to file on time because he was ill.

They also said Mandel did not receive adequate notice from Elections Alberta that he was late to file. Under current legislation there is no requirement for such notice.

Mandel said he was only late based on NDP’s standards, calling the legislation draconian. Speaking to media after the ruling on Monday, he called for more flexibility within government.

“We need to have more freedom in the legislature so political parties and their candidates can really speak for their communities and have free votes and be a more democratic process. That’s what this is all about, creating more democracy,” said Mandel.

Five other Alberta Party candidates who were also slapped with five-year bans had to go to court. Ali Haymour, Diana Ly, Tim Meech, Moe Rahall and Rachel Timmermans had their bans lifted. Alberta Party candidate Amrit Matharu has a court date later this week.

Premier Rachel Notley has yet to call a provincial election, but could have dropped the writ as early as Feb. 1, launching a 28-day campaign period. She is expected to call an election for between March 1 and May 31.